Multi-purpose drawstring carrier

ABSTRACT

A drawstring carrier for carrying an object may include a mat and a drawstring positioned at a peripheral region of the mat. The drawstring may be drawn to a first drawn state in which the mat is drawn to secure around the object from at least two sides of the mat and such that in the first drawn state a first exposed portion and a second exposed portion serve as handles for the drawstring carrier. The drawstring may include a third exposed and a fourth exposed portion positioned at a fourth side of the mat opposite from the third side. The mat may be oval or circular in shape. Food and food containers, pans, trays may be carried by or used on the carrier, as well as vases, flower pots. Carrier may also serve as a baby changing station and dirty diaper wrapper and disposer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to the field of food and beverage holders and carriers, carriers for flower pots, vases and other round, oval, rectangular or odd shaped objects, and also to the field of food trays, placemats, napkins, and other types of objects for food, flatware, or food container table settings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various types of bags, cases, boxes and carriers are known. Pans or trays of food, particularly when hot, can be difficult to carry, particularly since there is a need to maintain their top surface in or near a horizontal position to avoid tilting and spillage. Also, placemats and napkins for food, plates, trays, cutlery and food are well known, however bags, placemats and napkins do not provide a convenient and safe means of carrying or transporting the food, plates, trays and cutlery. In addition, there is a need for an article that can be used both as a carrier food, flatware, and/or food containers and as a placemat or receiver for an individual table setting.

Many other types of objects, containers for objects, vases, flower pots and the like are also preferably carried so as to avoid tilting of the object or container and/or to avoid banging the object being carried into other nearby objects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A drawstring carrier for carrying an object is disclosed. The drawstring carrier may include a mat of a material suitable for serving as a placemat so that food can be conveniently and comfortably consumed directly from the placemat or from a plate, bowl, pan or other container containing food or a liquid placed on the placemat. The drawstring carrier may include the mat shaped and sized to receive the object and to have a peripheral region, a drawstring positioned at the peripheral region of the mat and comprising a first exposed portion positioned at a first side of the mat and a second exposed portion positioned at a second side of the mat opposite from the first side, and the drawstring configured such that when drawn to a first drawn state the drawstring draws the mat to secure around the object from at least two sides of the mat and such that in the first drawn state the first exposed portion and the second exposed portion are positioned and configured to serve as handles for the drawstring carrier.

A person may wish to carry items on the carrier before or after eating or taking food from the tray, pan, plate, bowl, saucer or cup positioned on the mat of the carrier. Drawstring carrier can serve both as a carrier for food, flatware, pans, trays and/or other food containers and as a placemat or receiver for a table setting for one or more people.

Drawstring carrier can also serve as baby changing station, including as a single use baby changing surface. After the baby is changed on the drawstring carrier in the flat position, the dirty diaper, dirty wipes and other refuse can be conveniently and hygienically disposed of by pulling on the two exposed portions, or, if provided, on the four exposed portions of the drawstring to close the drawstring carrier around the refuse items. If the drawstring carrier is designed as a single use carrier then the entire package may be discarded.

The drawstring may be a closed loop. The drawstring may include a third exposed portion positioned at a third side of the mat and a fourth exposed portion positioned at a fourth side of the mat opposite from the third side, such that in a second drawn state the drawstring draws the mat to secure around the object from at least four sides of the mat and such that in the second drawn state the third exposed portion and the fourth exposed portion are positioned and configured to serve as handles for the drawstring carrier.

The mat may be oval in shape or circular in shape. The mat may include a fabric material, a plastic material, a paper material or a combination of the foregoing. The peripheral region of the mat may include a hem on the mat configured to receive the drawstring therethrough. The carrier may be disposable after a single use.

The mat may be configured as a placemat sized to accommodate a plate or a small tray.

The drawstring may be configured to be drawn to the first drawn state when both the first exposed portion and the second exposed portion are pulled away from the mat.

The drawstring may include a third exposed portion positioned at a third side of the mat and a fourth exposed portion positioned at a fourth side of the mat opposite from the third side, such that in a second drawn state the drawstring draws the mat to secure around the object from at least four sides of the mat and such that in the second drawn state the third exposed portion and the fourth exposed portion are positioned and configured to serve as handles for the drawstring carrier wherein the drawstring is configured to be drawn to the second drawn state when both the third exposed portion and the fourth exposed portion are pulled away from the mat.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention, which refers to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a drawstring carrier according to an aspect of the disclosure illustrated as holding a tray of food.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of the drawstring carrier according to an aspect of the disclosure, with the drawstring carrier in a flat position.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an example of a mat for the drawstring carrier according to an aspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an example of the drawstring carrier according to an aspect of the disclosure with the drawstring in place at a peripheral region of the mat.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of an example of a peripheral region of the drawstring carrier taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a top view of an example of the drawstring carrier according to an aspect of the disclosure illustrating a drawstring placement in relation to the mat.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example of the drawstring carrier according to an aspect of the disclosure illustrating the carrier in a carrying position and carrying a cylindrical object, such as a flower pot.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an example of the drawstring carrier according to an aspect of the disclosure illustrating another shape for the drawstring carrier.

With reference to the Drawings, the features thereof are described below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a multipurpose drawstring carrier, in this case carrying a tray of hot food. Drawstring 40 may serve both to provide handles 43 and 44 on either side of the carrier and to secure carrier 20 around tray 15 or some other item being carried. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 2, after tray 15 is placed on center portion 31 of mat 30 of carrier 20, exposed portions 43 and 44 of drawstring 40 may be pulled such that exposed portions 43 and 44 will serve as handles for carrier 20 and the pulling of exposed portions 43 and 44 of the drawstring 40 will serve to draw sides of mat 30 to tighten around corresponding sides of tray 15. After this point, the weight of tray 15 may serve further to secure carrier 20 around tray 15 because as the weight of tray 15 presses down on mat 30, more of the exposed portions 43 and 44 of the drawstring 40 may be exposed thus tightening the sides around the sides 16 of tray 15.

While described herein as having “sides”, mat 30 and thus carrier 20 need not be rectangular or square when in the flat position. For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, mat 30 may have an oval shape or be substantially rectangular with rounded corners. However, mat 30 may be square, rectangular, or other polygon more or less oval than depicted, round, or the like. Therefore, the term “sides” of the mat 30 or carrier 20 is used in a practical way, and not necessarily as sides of a polygon.

FIG. 3 illustrates mat 30 before drawstring 40 is attached thereto. Mat 30 includes a center portion 31 on which objects, such as tray 15 or a flower pot 17 are placed. Mat 30 also includes a peripheral region 33 to which drawstring 40 is secured. Mat 30 may be made of fabric, cloth or textile, plastic, vinyl, rubber, paper, cardboard, leather, or a combination of the foregoing. Peripheral region 33 may include a hem 33A at which the mat 30 may be folded onto itself or an additional piece may be used to augment the strength of mat 30, or to secure drawstring 40.

FIG. 4 illustrates drawstring 40 in place at the periphery 33 of mat 30. Four exposed portions 43-46 of drawstring 40 may be provided at open portions 35, 36, 37, 38 of mat 30, respectively, one on each side of carrier 20. However, fewer or greater numbers of exposed portions may be provided. For example, two exposed portions may be sufficient. These two exposed portions could be provided opposite one another on the shorter sides of carrier 20 or on the longer sides of carrier 20.

Also, an odd number of exposed portions, for example three exposed portions or five exposed portions, may be provided. In a similar vein, the exposed portions need not be disposed at opposite sides of carrier 20 and need not be provided in pairs. For example, if three exposed portions are provided, the exposed portions need not be provided on opposite sides of the carrier 20.

In the spread out position of carrier 20 illustrated in FIG. 4, the material of mat 30 may be flat or substantially flat. In such a flat position, all of the material of mat 30 could be spread out flat on a table or other flat surface, with the possible exception of some minor wrinkles or bunching of the material at the corners and hemmed portion 32 which could be doubled over but otherwise flat. “Flat” as used herein may include all such flat or substantially flat arrangements. Such a flat configuration provides a placemat feature, and also facilitates placement of an object 15 such as a hot casserole tray or plate on top of mat 30. Drawstring 40 need not lie flat when the mat 30 is in the flat position. However, mat 30 need not have such a flat configuration in the spread out state, but could include substantially bunched up side and corner areas.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, when the exposed portions of the drawstring 40 are tightened, the sides or peripheral areas of the mat 30 can “hug” the sides of the tray 15 positioned on the mat 30 so as to secure it and prevent it from tilting. In this way, placemat can double as a carrier. As will be apparent, according to an aspect of the invention, since the mat 30 lies flat or substantially flat in the open position, sides of the mat 30 can automatically adjust to conform around the sides of the tray 15 or other object being carried inside carrier 20.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1, when the drawstring 40 is tightened, the sides of mat 30 will align around and secure the sides 16 of the tray 15. Thus, as a human hand grasps both of the exposed portions 43 and 44 of drawstring 40 to lift up the carrier 20, the forces applied to drawstring 40 in a horizontal direction will cause the sides of the mat 30 to align with and to tighten around the sides 16 of object 15. In addition, because of the tug on drawstring 40, the shorter sides of the mat 30 will also tighten along the shorter sides of object 15 so as to create hugging around the tray on all sides thereof. In addition, if any of the mat sides extend above the tray 15 they will be pulled up without falling back into the tray and dirtying the contents thereof because of the upward tug of drawstring 40. In addition, the portion of mat 30 that is in contact with upper edge 18 of the side 16 of the tray 15 can cooperate with bottom portion 19 of mat 30 facing a bottom side of object 15 to provide for a snug vertical hugging action around tray 15 so as to secure tray 15. Such a configuration is illustrated in FIG. 7, which shows sides of mat 30 reaching slightly above tall object 17 so as to secure around the upper edge 18 of sides of tall object 17. Thus, carrier 20 can accommodate objects 15 of varying sizes and shapes, including objects with vertical walls of various sizes and heights and slopes, that is not just objects with walls that are entirely vertical. Carrier 20 can thus hug objects of various sizes and shapes and provide a secure carrying mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and illustrates drawstring 40 inside hemmed portion 32 of mat 30.

Drawstring 40 need not be elastic. According to another embodiment however, drawstring 40 is elastic. Drawstring 40 may be made of various materials, such as textiles, cloth fabrics, plastic, vinyl, rubber, leather, paper or a combination of the foregoing.

FIG. 7 illustrates a cylindrical object 17 being carried by carrier 20. It would be understood however, that object 17 need not be cylindrical but may be rectangular in shape, such as a vase or a flower pot that is rectangular. Carrier 20 having only two portions of drawstring 40 exposed may be sufficient for carrying objects oriented horizontally or relatively horizontally in a convenient and relatively horizontally tilt-free manner, as illustrated in FIG. 1. These two exposed portions of drawstring 40 may be positioned at the longer sides of carrier 20 or at the shorter sides of carrier 20.

Further, objects to be conveniently carrier by drawstring carrier 20 need not be food trays, plates or food related items, nor need they be flower pots, vases and plant related items. Such items are provided as examples only to illustrate the concept that carrier 20 may be used to conveniently and safely carry items in a manner relative free of tilting so as to avoid spilling the contents thereof. Thus, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 7 and 8, carrier 20 may be used to carry objects as varied as relatively flat and long food trays oriented in a horizontal direction (the longest side of the food tray is to be kept in a relatively horizontal position) and cylindrical or other shaped objects to be carried such that their longest side is in a relatively vertical position. Depending on the contents of the object being carried, the height of the top surface of the liquid with respect to the top of the object being carried and other such factors, it may not be necessary for drawstring carrier 20 to maintain the object in a horizontal, near horizontal, vertical or near vertical position. Also even two exposed portions may suffice for taller objects because tugging on the two exposed portions may create a hugging effect of the sides of mat 30 adjacent the sides with the exposed portions. Drawstring carrier 20 could carry a range of objects irrespective of the relative position of the objects being carried. Also, more than one object could be carried simultaneously.

In addition to preventing tilting or spillage, carrier 20 may also be used to avoid banging or collision of the objects being carried with other items. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the exposed portions of drawstring 40 provide a convenient way of carrying item 17 so as to provide control for the carrying hand. FIG. 7 illustrates that when all four exposed portions of drawstring 40 are pulled, all four sides of carrier 20 are drawn around the sides of object 17 so as to provide a secure carrying mode. As discussed above, the term “sides” of object 17 is used also to include the “sides” of a cylindrical object, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

Drawstring carrier 20 may be sold with or used with objects intended to be carried to avoid tilting, or fragile objects that need to be carrier carefully to avoid collision with other objects. Thus, drawstring carrier 20 may be sold as a single use item, such as with a flower pot or vase or other type of ceramic, glass or porcelain vessel, or may be sold individually wrapped or packed several to a package for varied uses by the end user.

FIG. 8 illustrates the same object 17 being carried by carrier 20, when carrier 20 is not circular in shape but is somewhat oval in shape. Notwithstanding that mat 30 of carrier 20 as illustrated in FIG. 8 as oval in shape, it will secure around the sides of object 17 and carry it with little difficulty without tilting or spillage.

Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations, combinations of features and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims. 

1. A drawstring carrier for carrying an object, the drawstring carrier comprising: a mat shaped and sized to receive the object and including a peripheral region, the mat configured to lie flat when unfolded; and a drawstring positioned at the peripheral region of the mat and comprising a first exposed portion positioned at a first side of the mat and a second exposed portion positioned at a second side of the mat; and the drawstring configured such that when drawn to a first drawn state the drawstring draws the mat to align with and to secure around the object at a portion of the mat facing a bottom surface of the object and at the first side and the second side of the mat and such that in the first drawn state the first exposed portion and the second exposed portion are positioned and configured to serve as handles for the drawstring carrier.
 2. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the drawstring is a closed loop.
 3. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the drawstring comprises a third exposed portion positioned at a third side of the mat and a fourth exposed portion positioned at a fourth side of the mat opposite from the third side, such that in a second drawn state the drawstring draws the mat to secure around the object from at least four sides of the mat and such that in the second drawn state the third exposed portion and the fourth exposed portion are positioned and configured to serve as handles for the drawstring carrier.
 4. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the mat is oval in shape.
 5. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the mat is circular in shape.
 6. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the mat comprises a fabric material.
 7. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the mat comprises a plastic material.
 8. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the mat comprises a paper material.
 9. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the peripheral region of the mat includes a hem on the mat configured to receive the drawstring therethrough.
 10. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the drawstring carrier is disposable after a single use.
 11. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the mat is configured as a placemat sized to accommodate a plate or a small tray.
 12. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the drawstring is configured to be drawn to the first drawn state when both the first exposed portion and the second exposed portion are pulled away from the mat.
 13. The drawstring carrier of claim 12, wherein the drawstring comprises a third exposed portion positioned at a third side of the mat and a fourth exposed portion positioned at a fourth side of the mat opposite from the third side, such that in a second drawn state the drawstring draws the mat to secure around the object from at least four sides of the mat and such that in the second drawn state the third exposed portion and the fourth exposed portion are positioned and configured to serve as handles for the drawstring carrier wherein the drawstring is configured to be drawn to the second drawn state when both the third exposed portion and the fourth exposed portion are pulled away from the mat.
 14. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the second side of the mat is opposite from the first side.
 15. The drawstring carrier of claim 1, wherein the drawstring draws the mat to secure around the object from a portion of the mat facing an upper edge of a side of the object. 